TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIF. -- The Marines and Sailors of 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, are deploying from California to Japan this week in support of the Marine Corps’ Unit Deployment Program (UDP).
The Marine Reserve infantry battalion headquartered in Pasadena, California, with units nationwide, are temporarily pausing their civilian lives for uniformed service as they depart for the 2025 deployment to Japan.
This marks the first full Reserve infantry battalion deployment to the UDP since 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment in 2020.
The battalion is mobilizing to support III Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, Japan. This deployment underscores Marine Forces Reserve’s commitment to maintaining a lethal and ready force capable of supporting Marine Corps strategic objectives and operational requirements overseas.
“Despite a compressed 3-month timeline and the rapid nature of our pre-deployment training plan, our battalion rose to the challenge and emerged as a stronger, more cohesive unit,” said Lt. Col. Davis Gooding III, commanding officer, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines. “The recent service-level training exercise facilities by the Tactical Training Exercise Control Group provided an invaluable experience, honing our combat edge at every level. We are eternally grateful for their support, coaching, and professionalism. This combined herculean effort across all warfighting functions and supporting organizations has prepared us for any challenge. I am incredibly proud of this battalion and confident in our ability to deploy to the Indo-Pacific region and accomplish any mission.”
Leading up to their departure, the Marines of 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines conducted extensive pre-deployment training, including exercises in the Mojave Desert, ensuring they are fully trained and equipped for the challenges ahead.
The battalion is composed of key subordinate units stationed across the country, including Headquarters and Service Company in Pasadena, California; Echo Company in San Bruno, California; Fox Company at Camp Williams, Utah; Weapons Company in Seal Beach, California; and Alpha Company, 4th Combat Engineer Battalion, in Charleston, West Virginia.
The Unit Deployment Program, established in 1977 by then-Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Louis H. Wilson Jr., was designed to improve unit continuity by extending training rotations. Through this program, U.S.-based infantry battalions deploy to Okinawa, Japan, for six-month rotations, enhancing their operational readiness and regional security presence.
Marine Forces Reserve has a long history of participation in the UDP, with the first Reserve unit to deploy under the program being Company C, 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, in 2003. Since then, Reserve units have regularly trained and deployed in support of Marine Corps operations in the Indo-Pacific.
This deployment demonstrates the Marine Corps’ enduring commitment to operational readiness and global security objectives, ensuring that Reserve Marines remain an integral part of the Total Force solution in today’s evolving security environment.
For more information, contact Communication Strategy and Operations, Marine Forces Reserve, at mfrcommstrat@usmc.mil.
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WHO WE ARE: The United States Marine Corps Reserve is responsible for providing trained units and qualified individuals for mobilization to active duty in time of war, national emergency, and crisis or contingency operations. On a day-to-day basis, Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES) consists of a talented and dedicated pool of nearly 100,000 Marines able to augment the Active Component in a myriad of ways, to include operational deployments, support to training, participation in bi/multi-lateral exercises with partner nations and allies, and service-level experimentation in support of Force Design 2030 and refinement of new concepts, tactics, techniques, and procedures.
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